Paint roller

ABSTRACT

A PAINT APPLICATOR ASSEMBLY OF THE ROLLER TYPE INCLUDING AN INTEGRAL PLAINT RESERVOIR-HANDLE HAVING A PAINT FILLING AND DISPENSING PISTON MANUALLY OPERABLE FROM ONE END OF THE RESERVOIR AND A PAINT CONDUCTING TUBE SUPPORTING A HOLLOW ROLLER APPLICATOR CONNECTED WITH THE OTHER END OF THE RESERVOIR. THE ROLLER SUPPORTING TUBE IS TELESCOPICALLY CONNECTED INTO THE HANDLE BY MEANS INCLUDING A VALVE FOR CONTROLLING FLOW BETWEEN THE RESERVOIR-HANDLE AND THE TUBE FOR BOTH FILLING AND DISPENSING OF THE PAINT. THE TUBE IS SPRING BIASED TO A VALVE-CLOSED POSITION. AN ALTERNATE FORM OF THE APPARATUS HAS A FILLING SLOT IN THE RESERVOIR WALL FOR POURING PAINT DIRECTLY INTO THE RESERVOIR-HANDLE. VARIOUS FORMS OF ROLLERS ARE SHOWN INCLUDING A SPECIAL ROLLER FOR PAINTING PIPES. PAINT IS INTRODUCED INTO THE   RESERVOIR THROUGH EITHER THE FILLING SLOT OR BY DRAWING THE PAINT IN THROUGH THE TUBE UPON RETRACTION OF THE PISTON. WHILE HOLDING THE VALVE OPEN, PAINT IS FORCED BY THE PISTON THROUGH THE TUBE INTO THE ROLLER. THE ROLLER IS ROLLED ALONG THE SURFACE TO BE PAINTED IN A CONVENTIONAL MANNER.

Nov. 14, 1972 J. M. RENTFROW 3,702,739

PAINT ROLLER Filed March l1, 1971 7/ 6a 65 5/ l 0b 0c 5a 50h /2 50 50c 50c 65 72 50a E 65 ,f 62 64 2/ 52 M50@ 50 I W V60 70 -/5 52 7/ uuu- 534 5/ 5a 35" 50C C 3 3 i@ 4g-.

\` i 60 @QE 55 20 deb 5 a4 0 I l 5/ $5 2/ l 42@ Fi 4 52 52g 55 g" INVENFOR 40g Z5 James M. Renfrow 55 a/V* 2/ ATTORNEY 3,702,739 PAINT ROLLER James M. Rentfrow, P.O. Drawer 340, Royse City, Tex. 75089 Filed Mar. 11, 1971, Ser. No. 123,143 Int. Cl. 154441 3/28 U.S. Cl. 401-197 10 'Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A paint applicator assembly of the roller type including an integral paint reservoir-handle having a paint filling and dispensing piston manually operable from one end of the reservoir and a paint conducting tube supporting a hollow roller applicator connected with the other end of the reservoir. The roller supporting tube is telescopically connected into the handle by means including a valve for controlling flow between the reservoir-handle and the tube for both filling and dispensing of the paint. The tube is spring biased to a valve-closed position. An alternate form of the apparatus has a filling slot in the reservoir wall for pouring paint directly into the reservoir-handle. Various forms of rollers are shown including a special roller for painting pipes. Paint is introduced into the reservoir through either the filling slot or by drawing the paint in through the tube upon retraction of the piston. While holding the valve open, paint is forced by the piston through the tube into the roller. The roller is rolled along the surface to be painted in a conventional manner.

This invention relates to paint applicators and more specifically relates to a roller type paint applicator having a handle provided with a paint reservoir chamber.

Roller type paint applicators have `become an accepted, essentially standard tool for the applying of paint to a number of types of surfaces. Both oil base and watersoluble paints can be handled by such applicators. The most commonly used type of paint roller is an absorbent sleeve supported on a cylindrical body rotatably mounted on a tubular or wire handle. The sleeve material is saturated in paint by immersing the roller in paint in a somewhat iiat pan. The roller is rolled along a thin layer of paint in the bottom of -the pan to saturate the entire peripheral surface of the roller. Various types of dispensing type rollers have been proposed including what shall be referred to as a power-operated roller and also a hand operated roller. By power-operated is meant a roller connected with a tube supplied with paint from a reservoir maintained under pressure by means such as an air compressor. One type of hand manipulated roller type paint dispenser is shown in my U.S. patent number 3,337,899, issued August 29, 1967. Generally, the available roller type dispensers are either complex, somewhat expensive, and require substantial maintenance or do not have an integral paint reservoir. The power type dispenser requires hose connections, of course, to a power unit and reservoir, thereby somewhat limiting the mobility of the unit, and is quite expensive relative to applicants applicator.

United States Patent O It is a particularly important object of the invention to pensing piston which includes a seal adapted to be expanded to compensate for wear.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a roller type paint applicator of the character described which may be iilled with paint either through a dispensing tube or by directly introducing the paint into the reservoirhandle.

It is another object of the invention to provide a paint applicator of the roller type which utilizes rollers of various lengths.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a paint applicator of the character described which includes a roller supporting dispensing tube the length of which may be varied as desired.

lt is a still further object of the invention to provide a roller type paint applicator which includes a special form of roller for application of paint to pipes.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a roller type paint applicator which requires a minimum number of simple parts, which are inexpensive to manufacture.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a paint applicator of the roller type which includes a handle having an integral paint reservoir and a paint dispensing perforate roller rotatably supported on a conduit movably connected with the handle for supplying paint from the reservoir into the roller. A flow control valve is operatively connected with the handle and conduit and controlled by relative movement between the handle and conduit. A paint filling and dispensing piston is movably disposed in the reservoir of the handle for drawing paint into the reservoir and forcing paint from the reservoir through the conduit into the roller-applicator. A number of different roller applicator configurations are available with the roller assembly.

The various objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from reading the following detailed description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal view in elevation of a roller type paint applicator assembly embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged broken view in section and elevation of the paint roller assembly of FIG. 1 showing the filling and dispensing valve closed and the reservoir piston fully retracted;

FIG. 3 is a view in section along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, principally in section, showing the dispensing and filling valve open;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a modified form of paint reservoir-handle having a filling port therein;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in section and elevation showing a shorter paint roller applicator on the tubular conduit than used in the form of the device shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a side view in elevation of a paint roller especially designed for painting pipes.

Referring to the drawings, a roller type paint applicator assemby 10 embodying the invention includes a paint reservoir-handle 11, a tubular conduit 12, and a rotatably supported roller type paint applicator 13. A manually operated piston assembly 14 is movably disposed in the paint reservoir of the handle for paint filling and dispensing. A valve assembly 15 is operatively associated with the conduit 12 and the handle 11 for controlling the ow of paint between the conduit and the reservoir during both filling and dispensing of the paint to the roller applicator.

The handle 11 is formed by a tubular housing 20 having a reservoir closed at a first outer end by a removable recessed cap 21. The cap 21 has a central plate portion 22, a cylindrical side wall 23, and an outwardly flared end flange 24 which engages the end edge of the housing limiting the depth to which the cap is insertable into the end of the housing. The cap has a plurality of spaced holes 25 to relieve any pressure developed within the reservoir between the cap and the piston assembly as the piston assembly is moved. The cap is releasably held in the end of the housing 20 yby a wire clip 30 which is shaped to encircle a portion of the housing and has a portion a inserted through a lateral hole 31 in the housing wall to engage the outer face of the cap plate 22 for holding the cap in position at the end of the housing.

The piston assembly 14 includes a piston rod 32 having a threaded end portion 32a and an operating handle 33. The piston rod is upset defining a pair of laterally and oppositely disposed ear stops 34. A seal 35 having a bore for the piston rod is clamped on the rod between a Eilat rigid washer 41 and a wiper 42. The wiper includes a circular plate portion 42a and an outwardly flared or tapered skirt portion 42b. The wiper is held tightly against the seal 35 by a rigid flat washer 43 engaged by a lock washer 44 secured by a nut 45 threaded on the end portion 32a of the piston rod. In assembling the piston 14, the washer 41 is first placed on the piston rod over the threaded end portion 32a against the ears 34. The seal 35, which preferably is a round or spherical rubber ball having a bore 40 formed therein, is placed over the piston rod against the washer 41. The wiper 42, the washer 43, the lock washer 44 are assembled on the piston rod and compressed toward the seal 35 squeezing the seal and expanding it until its outer peripheral surface is of a diameter slightly greater than the internal diameter of the housing 20. The nut 45 is threaded on the piston end portion 32a until the seal 35 is squeezed and expanded to the desired extent which provides an effective seal with the internal surface of the housing 20 while allowing the piston to be manipulated by the handle 33 within the housing. The particular advantage of using a rubber or plastic ball to form the seal 35 is that as the peripheral surfaces of the seal wear, the nut 45 may be further tightened to additionally expand the ball and thus compensate for the wear. The flare of the skirt 42b on the wiper provides a radially compressible engagement with the inner wall surface of the housing 20 so that the housing inner wall is effectively cleaned when the piston is forced inwardly in the housing to minimize paint leakage and to protect the seal 35. The piston rod 32 is of sufficient length that the piston assembly may be forced fully into the housing 20 until the wiper 42 substantially engages the end of the housing opposite the cap 21. The piston assembly functions to both ill the reservoir, when filling is accomplished through the conduit 12, and to force the paint from the reservoir through the conduit. I

The second end of the reservoir housing 20 opposite the cap 21 is secured into a closure and bearing member 50 which comprises a cap portion a, a tubular bearing portion 50b, and external circumferentially spaced reinforcing webs 50c. The member 50 has an elongated bore 51 along the bearing portion which is sized to permit a close tolerance slidable lit with a straight section 12a of the conduit tube 12. The member 50 fits tightly on and is cemented to the end portion of the housing 20. A gasket 52 is disposed between the end of the housing and the member 50 to seal against leakage. A plurality of internal axially extending stops 52a are formed within the cap circumferentially spaced to limit rotation of the conduit tube 12 and the roller 13 about the axis of the conduit at the handle as discussed in further detail hereinafter. The

-cap portion 50a of the member 50 has an internal recess posed lateral holes through the end portion of the conduit tube and a lateral hole through the plug 55 to close the end of the tube within the reservoir. A rigid washer retainer 61 and a washer type valve member 62 formed of a material such as rubber are held on the end portion of the tube 12 by the lock pin 60. The lock pin also engages the stops 52 t0 prevent rotation of the tube 12 and roller 13 when painting. The tube 12 has one or more ports 63 formed inward of the plug 55 to communicate With the reservoir when the valve assembly 15 is open as shown in FIG. 4.

A spring 64 is disposed on the tube 12 confined between rigid washers 65 and 70. The washer 70 bears against a ring seal 71 which in turns bears against the outward end of the member 50 for sealing around the tube 12 at the outward end of the bore 51 through the member 50. The washer 65 bears against a lock ring 72 clamped tightly around the tube 12 at a position to hold the spring 64 in a sufiicient degree of compression which will maintain the valve 15 closed but which will permit further compression to move the valve 15 to the open position of FIG. 4. With the spring 64 expanded as in FIG. 2, the tube 12 is held at a position at which the lateral holes 63 in the tube are within the bore 51 of the member 50 and the valve member seal 62 engages the cap inside valve seat face 50d thereby preventing flow around the tube 12 through the cap. The plug 55 in the end of the tube prevents flow into the tube. When the tube 12 is forced inwardly telescoping it a short distance into the reservoir as shown in FIG. 4, the holes 63 in the tube 12 are moved out of the bore 51 into the reservoir so that the holes communicate with the reservoir. The valve member 62 is spaced inwardly from the valve seat face 50d permitting communication into the tube 12 for lfilling the reservoir and for dispensing paint from the reservoir to the roller through the tube.

The straight section 12a of the tube 12 is connected by a coupling with a roller supporting section 12b of the tube 12. The coupling is secured with the tubing sections by internal threads engaging external threads on the tube sections. The tube section 12b has a 90 degree elbow 12C, a return bend 12d, and a straight section 12e which provides a configuration to support the roller assembly 13 generally perpendicular to the section 12a of the tube connected into the handle. The tube end portion 12e is long enough to support the roller assembly at a location at which its longitudinal center is approximately in line with the tube portion 12a. This positioning of the roller assembly is preferred for optimum roller balance and to minimize the torque reaction force of the roller with the remainder of the assembly when painting a surface. It will be apparent that additional straight sections of the tube 12 may be connected between the sections 12a and 12b with additional couplings 80 for extending the length of the conduit tube for painting such surfaces as ceilings.

The roller assembly 13 includes an outer tabular sleeve which preferably is a sponge-like highly porous plastic material but may comprise a felt-like cloth sleeve, tightly stretched over a metal or fiber cylinder 91 having a substantial number of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced perforations 92 to admit paint into the sleeve from within the cylinder. The sleeve 90 is longer than the cylinder and has opposite end portions 90a and 90b folded around inside the ends of the cylinder and clamped by end caps 92 and 93. The end cap 92 is formed by an annular plate portion 92a, an outer cylindrical skirt 92b, and a central tubular bearing portion 92a. The skirt portion 92h is sized to fit within the end of the cylinder 91 to clamp the sleeve portion 91a in the cylinder. The bearing portion 92C of the end cap fits on the tube portion 12e for rotatably supporting an end of the roller assembly 13 on the tube. The end cap 92 also has outwardly extending narrow end flange portion 92d which engages the sleeve 90 around the end edge of the cylinder to aid in holding the sleeve in the end of the cylinder. Similarly, the other end cap 93 has an annular plate portion 93a, a

tubular skirt portion 93h, a central bearing portion 93e and an end flange 93d. The skirt and flange portion of the end cap 93 confine and clamp the end portion 90b of the sleeve within the other end of the cylinder 91 while the bearing portion 93e supports the roller assembly on the tube. The plate portion 92a of the end cap 92 bears against a washer seal 94 which engages a lock ring 9S tightly clamped on the tube portion 12e. The seal ring 94 prevents paint leakage from within the cylinder along the end cap 92 bearing portion. The open end of the tube section 12e is internally threaded to receive a threaded retainer nut 100 which holds the end cap 93 on the tube 12 and plugs the open end of the tube and seals around the tube with the end cap to prevent paint leakage from the end of the roller assembly. Thus, the roller assembly 13 is rotatable on the tube section 12e while paint may not leak along the tube at the opposite ends of the roller assembly. The tube section 12e has one or more perforations 101 to admit paint from the tube into the perforated cylinder 91 from which the paint flows outwardly through the perforation 92 into the porous sleeve 9d.

The roller assembly 13 is removed from the tube for cleaning and replacement f parts by unscrewing the retainer nut 180 from the threaded end of the tube and slipping the assembly off the tube. The tolerances between the sizes of the various parts are such that the parts fit together suiciently tightly to prevent paint leakage during operation of the applicator while permitting manual disassembly and assembly without the need for special tools. When the roller assembly is removed from the tube, the two end caps 92 and 93 are pulled from the ends of the cylinder 91 and tightly litting sleeve 9i) is then removed from the cylinder. After cleaning and/or replacement, the sleeve 9i] is restretched over the cylinder and the overlapping end portions 90o-90b are folded around the cylinder ends into the bore of the cylinder and held until each end cap is inserted into the cylinder. The roller assembly is then replaced on the tube and secured by the nut 100.

Modiiied forms of paint roller assemblies embodying the invention are shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the structures of FIGS. 6 and 7 being special forms of rollers for particular paint applications. Referring particularly to FIG. 5, an alternate form of reservoir handle housing 20 is illustrated for directly introducing paint into the reservoir. The housing 20 has a fill port 110 cut through the side wall of the housing at a longitudinal position which is inward in the housing from the piston assembly 14 when the piston is in fully retracted position against the end cap 21 as represented by the broken line showing of the piston assembly in the upper portion of FIG. 5. The port 110 is sized and shaped to facilitate pouring paint from a can or through a funnel into the reservoir. Features of the housing 21) other than the fill port 110 are identical to those of the housing 20. Also, in all other respects, the modified form of the paint roller assembly represented by FIG. is identical to the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 6 illustrates a modified roller assembly 13 which is identical to roller 13 except in length. Roller 13 is shorter than roller 13. The various parts of the roller 13' are denoted by the same reference numerals used in FIG. 2 with a prime mark added. Further description of the parts of the roller 13 is not deemed necessary. The roller 13' is placed on the tube portion 12e against the stop ring 95. At the outer end of the roller a tubular spacer 111 is placed over the end portion of the tube section 12e between the end cap 93 and the retainer nut 100. It will be obvious that if desired roller 13 may be placed near the end of the tube section 12e by positioning the spacer sleeve 111 on the tube section against the lock ring 95 between the roller 13 and the nut 100. The only controlling factor with regard to where the roller 13' is placed along the length of the tube 12e is that the ports 101 in the tube must lie within the roller for ow of paint into the roller interior. Shorter rollers such as 13 are particularly useful for special paint applications such as the striping of streets, parking lots and the like and also along confined paint surfaces which will only admit a narrower roller. Flexibility is possible in roller assembly length by making the perforated cylinder 91 of a lliber board which may be readily cut on the job and the use of bulk tubular material for the porous cylinder and a length of tubular material for the spacer 111 which may be cut as desired. By packaging roller sleeve and spacer material in a form which may be cut in a kit with the paint roller assembly, the user is provided with substantial liexibility in the fabrication of a roller to satisfy many special roller length requirements.

Another special form of roller assembly 13" is shown in FIG. 7 for painting cylindrical members such as pipes. The roller 13" has a porous sleeve 90" which is provided with an external annular recess 115. The recess 11S is essentially half circular in cross section. The sleeve is assembled on a perforated cylinder and held by the end caps 92 and 93 in exactly the same manner as in the roller assemblies shown in FIGS. 2 and y6. A cylindrical member, such as a pipe to be painted, is received in the external annular recess 115 as the roller assembly is rolled along the pipe. Generally, two longitudinal strokes of the roller assembly 13" along opposite sides of the pipe will apply paint to the entire circumferential surface of the pipe. It will be apparent that the roller 13" may be formed in different sizes to paint a large size range of pipes.

The various forms of the paint roller assembly illustrated and described herein are simply filled with paint and easily used to provide essentially 'drop free, even roller-type application of paint to surfaces, both flat and curved. The paint reservoir is filled either by drawing the paint into the reservoir through the conduit tube 12 0r by pouring the paint in through the fill port shown in FIG. 5. If tilling through the tube is desired, the roller assembly on the tube is removed by unthreading the retainer nut 100, or alternatively, the roller assembly and bent portion 12b of the tube are disengaged from the handle and the tube portion 12a at the union 80. The open end of the tube 12 is placed against a surface such as the floor and suicient downward pressure is exerted on the handle to telescope the tube end portion of the valve 15 into the handle compressing the spring 64 and opening the valve 15. The piston assembly 14 is manually manipulated in the housing by the handle 33 until it is moved against the housing end cap 50. An attempt to move the piston against the closed valve provides too much resistance due to the presence of air in the reservoir. Opening the valve lets the air escape thereby making the piston assembly easily insertable all the way into the reservoir housing. The ports 25 in the end cap relieve the pressure reduction behind the piston as it is pushed along the housing. The open end of the tube 12 is then placed in a paint bucket against the bottom of the bucket and the valve 15 is again opened by pressing down on the handle 11. While the valve is held open, the piston assembly is slowly pulled by the handle 33 drawing the handle back until it stops at the position shown in FIG. 2. The pressure build up behind Athe piston in the housing is relieved through the end cap ports 2.5. Paint is drawn through the tube 12 and the valve 15 into the reservoir. After the piston assembly has been retracted completely, the applicator is lifted from the paint bucket allowing the spring 64 to expand closing the valve 15 and conlining the paint within the reservoir. The valve is closed by movement of the tube port 63 back into the bore 51 and seating of the valve member 62 against the valve seat 53 and the cap surface around the seat 53. The roller assembly is then reinstalled on the tube, or if the tube was broken for filling at the union 80 the roller and the bent portion of the tube are reconnected at the union.

lf the form of the paint roller assembly illustrated in FIG. 5 is being used, filling may be done through the fill port 110. In this event, it is not necessary during the actual lling procedure to open the valve 15, to

remove the roller, or to break the tube 12 at the union 80. The handle 33 is slowly retracted until the piston assembly is fully Withdrawn into the outward end of the housing against the end cap 21. During this retraction step, it may be desirable to open the valve 15 by depressing the handle 11 toward the roller and tube to relieve the suction within the reservoir created by the piston movement. After the piston assembly is fully retracted to the position of FIG. 5, the assembly is tilted somewhat from the vertical to make pouring paint into the fill port 110 easier. Paint is poured into the fill port until the reservoir is filled to a level just below the port. The piston assembly is then pushed downwardly in the housing until the wiper 42 and the seal 35 are slightly below the fill port to apply pressure on the paint in the reservoir.

With the roller assembly filled with paint by either of the described procedures, the roller is then placed on the surface to be painted, medium force is applied to the reservoir-handle to compress the spring 64 for opening the valve 15 while the handle 33 is manipulated to force the piston assembly inwardly dispensing paint from the reservoir through the valve 15 and the tube 12. Light, steady pressure is applied to the piston assembly while holding the valve open to till the paint roller.

When the handle is depressed against the tube 12 compressing the springs 64, the port 63 in the tube 12 is moved inwardly into the reservoir to the position of FIG. 4 so that flow may occur between the interior of the tube and the reservoir in the housing through the port 63. The seal 62 is spaced inwardly in the housing from the seat face 50d thereby permitting the ow to the port 63. Paint fiows from the reservoir into the port 63, through the tube 12, and from the tube 12 into the interior of the paint roller assembly through the ports 101 in the tube section 12e. Paint fills the interior of the perforated cylinder 91 and is forced outwardly from the cylinder through the cylinder openings 92. The paint then is forced outwardly in the pores of the sleeve 90 to the outer surface of the sleeve where the paint is available for rolling on the surface being painted.

The roller applicator is manipulated in a conventional manner rolling the paint on the surface. As the paint supply in the roller becomes depleted, the step of opening the valve 15 and refilling the roller is repeated to maintain the sleeve 90 saturated. After each time the roller is filled, the handle pressure against the tube 12 holding the valve 15 open is released so that the valve closes. These steps of filling the roller and moving the roller along the surface being painted are repeated until either the painting is finished or the paint supply in the reservoir is depleted, at which time the reservoir may be refilled in the manner described. If painting is finished with paint remaining in the reservoir, the paint may be emptied by disconnecting the tube section 12b and discharging the paint through the tube section 12a by means of the piston, by pouring the paint from the fill port 110, or by removing the end cap 21 and the piston assembly and pouring out the open first end of the housing.

After completing the painting, several procedures may be used to clean the various parts of the applicator prior to storage. The paint roller assembly may be placed in a bucket of water and the reservoir lled with water in the same manner as described with respect to filling with paint. The water may then be discharged to the ground or some disposal system by opening the valve 15 and pressing the piston assembly inwardly to eject the water through the valve tube and roller assembly. If desired, the roller assembly may be removed from the tube and completely disassembled for thorough cleaning while water is drawn into and ejected from the reservoir-handle through the valve 15 and the tube 12 in the manner described. If an oil base paint is used, cleaning will require a suitable solvent.

If, during the life of the paint roller assembly, it is determined that the seal of the piston assembly 14 with the inner wall of the housing 20 is not adequate, the seal member 35 may be further expanded by tightening the nut 45 on the threaded end portion 32a of the piston rod. It will be appreciated, as previously discussed, that the skirt 42b aids the seal obtained with the piston assembly and, additionally, protects the seal 35 against the paint by wiping the inner wall surface of the housing 20 as the piston assembly is pushed into the housing. Thus, when the piston assembly is fully pushed into the housing, the retraction of the assembly is along an essentially clean wall surface due to the scraping action of the skirt 4211.

It will now be appreciated that a new and improved paint roller assembly has been described and illustrated. It will be understood that the assembly has an integral paint reservoir, that it includes minimum number of parts of simple design, and that it may be efiiciently filled and paint dispensed therefrom for rolling onto a surface. It will be understood that the assembly is versatile and is readily adapted to a plurality of roller configurations for both varying the shape of the surface to be painted and the dimensions of special painted surfaces such as stripes. The reservoir housing is formed of standard thin walled plastic pipe. The piston assembly seal comprises a standard sponge rubber ball. The use of such parts has made possible for the first time an inexpensive uncomplicated paint roller with a self contained paint storage chamber.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A paint roller assembly comprising paint reservoirhandle means provided with a chamber for paint storage; porous roller-type paint applicator means; conduit means secured to said applicator means and movably connected with said handle means for supporting said applicator means from said handle means and for providing fluid communication between said applicator means and said chamber of said handle means; a single means for controlling fluid communication through a single flow passage into said chamber of said handle means and between said chamber and said applicator means through said conduit means, said valve means being operatively associated with said conduit means and opened and closed to effect communication between said conduit means and said chamber of said handle means responsive to movement of said conduit means relative to said handle means; and means for applying a pressure in said chamber for forcing uid from said chamber through said conduit means.

2. A paint roller assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conduit means is supported for limited longitudinal movement between a first valve closed position and a second valve open position, and means biasing said conduit means to said first valve closed position.

3. A paint roller assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein said handle means includes a closure member at a first end, said conduit means is slidably disposed along an end portion thereof through said closure member and has a port along said end portion disposed within said closure member at said first valve closed position and spaced within said chamber at said second valve open position of said conduit means, valve seat means within said closure member around said conduit means, and valve means on said conduit means positioned between the end of said conduit means in said chamber and said port in conduit means for engagement with said valve seat means at said first position of said conduit means to preclude fiow from said chamber into said conduit means at said first conduit means position.

4. A paint roller assembly in accordance with claim 3 including stop means secured with said closure member to limit rotation of said conduit means relative to said handle means.

5. A paint roller assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means for applying pressure in said chamber comprises a manually operable piston assembly movable within said chamber.

6. A paint roller assembly in accordance with claim wherein said handle means is provided with a ll port through a side wall thereof near a second end of said handle means and said piston means is movable to a position between said fill port and said second end of said handle means for admitting iluid through said iill port into said chamber of said handle means.

7. A paint roller assembly comprising: an elongated hollow handle provided with a chamber therein for paint storage; a lirst removable closure cap at a rst end of said handle closing said chamber; a piston assembly slidably disposed in said chamber of said handle and movable longitudinally therein for drawing lluid into said chamber and expelling fluid therefrom; a piston rod secured with said piston assembly and having an end extending through said iirst closure cap; a manually engageable handle on said piston rod outward of said closure cap for moving said rod and piston assembly Within said chamber; a second closure cap on a second opposite end of said handle for closing said chamber at said second end of said handle, said second closure cap being provided with a bore therethrough longitudinally aligned with the longitudinal axis of said handle; a conduit tube slidably supported along a rst end portion through said bore of said second closure cap; means closing the end of said conduit tube disposed in said chamber; said end portion of said rst end portion of said conduit tube having a port therein spaced from said closure means for communicating said tube with said chamber in said handle; a seal supported in said second end cap around said conduit tube; an annular valve member secured around said conduit tube between said iirst end of said tube and said port therein for engagement with a seat surface in said second end cap to preclude communication between said chamber and said port in said conduit tube when said valve member engages said seat; stop means secured within said second end cap; a stop pin through said first end of said conduit tube engageable with said stop means to limit rotation of said conduit tube relative to said second end cap; a spring disposed around said conduit tube engageable at a first end with said end second end cap on said handle and engageable at a second end with said tube for biasing said tube to a lirst valve closed position at which said port in said conduit tube is withdrawn into said bore of said second end cap and said valve member engages said valve seat of said end cap, said spring being compressible to permit said conduit tube to telescope into said second end cap to a second conduit tube position for moving said port in said first end portion of said tube into 10 a communicating relation with said chamber in said handle; and a hollow paint roller applicator rotatably supported along a second end portion of said conduit tube, said conduit tube being provided with a port for admitting duid from said tube into said hollow paint roller.

8. A paint roller assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein said elongated handle is provided with a lill port through a side wall thereof near said iirst end of said handle spaced from said end to permit said piston assembly to be withdrawn to a position between said fill port and said iirst end of said handle to allow paint to llow through said fill port into said handle chamber between said retracted piston assembly and said second end of said handle.

9. A paint roller assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein said paint roller applicator comprises a perforated cylinder, a porous sleeve stretched over said cylinder, end caps inserted into opposite ends of said cylinder closing said ends and clamping said porous sleeve with said ends of said cylinder, said end caps having central bearing means for rotatably supporting said roller assembly on said second end portion of said conduit tube, and a nut en gaged in a second end of said conduit tube closing said end and retaining said roller assembly on said second end portion of said conduit tube.

10. A paint roller assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein said porous sleeve comprises a cylindrical member having an external annular semi-circular recess formed therein for applying paint along a portion of a cylindrical member receivable in said semi-circular recess as said roller is moved along said cylindrical member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,612,707 10/ 1971 Herbrechter et al. 401-197 2,478,318 8/ 1949 Raub 401-197 2,743,469 5/ 1956 Ditch 401-197 2,860,359 11/1958 James 401--197 X 2,881,461 4/1959 Parker 15-230.11

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,427,399 12/1965 France 14-104 R 1,105,771 4/ 1961 Germany 15-230.11

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

